Recommended Reading

Jade Madrid, our Latin American Studies and Iberian Languages Liaison & Reference Librarian, recently acquired the titles on display from book dealers in Brazil.

In addition to works purchased for the general collections, Jade also obtained literatura de cordel (cordel literature), which will be housed in the Booth Family Center for Special Collections at Lauinger Library.

Literatura de cordel consists of pamphlets or small booklets, often illustrated with woodcut prints. Traditionally sold by street vendors in Northeastern Brazil, they are typically displayed hanging from a string—hence the name cordel (“string" or "cord").